


Magenta

by The Being (cypherd)



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 11:46:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13681056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cypherd/pseuds/The%20Being
Summary: I was a pinch hitter for the undertalesecretsanta event, an d this was the submission for i-can-do-tricks who wanted a story from a human perspective about Asgore and Toriel’s relationship and watching the start of the war.So for me this was a REALLY interesting assignment because we don’t know anything about what the catalyst was for this war, just that there was one. So I thought perhaps that it might be ironic if the issue that started the war was…well, children. Or, rather what we know about boss monsters not aging or dying at a regular rate until they have children and how that would look to humans who die whether they have kids or not.I may decide to return some time to this story in the future.This story contains - original characters Asgore/Toriel, F!ocxf!oc, m!ocxm!oc, mentions of social drinking and in-universe political discussions





	Magenta

Asgore had always had a memory for faces. He never forgot a face...or a mouth...or a malleable unique shifting consistency structure of a single soul he met. Sooner than he thought it would prove to be a skill that would make him a rather popular King under some unfortunately dire circumstances. But right now if he’d been asked, he felt he could remember only one person's face: that of the waitress clearing their table. 

"Gonna ask her out? To, say, the ball coming up that my old man’s throwing for rich annoying people like us?" The man sitting next to him went by the name of Colt, the youngest and least ambitious of the current Royal family. He happened to thoroughly enjoy what most in his place would consider the short end of the stick in terms of a family tree so to speak, but in his words, it was ‘all of the title, none of the responsibility’. "Better question: are you going to even talk to her?"

The deep red blush staining Asgore's fur pinkish enough to be noticed through the white made the youngest human prince laugh and was answer enough. "Oh come on...She's…." he paused at length, making this a red letter day for the monster. 

Colt took it upon himself to fill in the blank. "Comely. Yeah. That's ancient Asgore for 'doable' right? An' she's like you too, right?"

Asgore frowned, curiosity evident on his face. 

Colt clarified. "She’s a boss monster like you. Isn't that right?"

"I don't see what that has to do with any intents I may be harbouring for the lady." Asgore's cheeks were still warm but the colour had faded into something much less jovial. "I would think you of all people would know that."

"Huh? Oh yeah. Heritage...lineage is such a dumb human thing." Colt scoffed, but his apology was genuine. "Sorry my friend. I forget it's different for Monsters.....or maybe it's just daahhhling -” he dragged the word out “Brother Richard being a swotty little prat again." Colt sighed. "I don’t envy him in the least. Joane, she is definitely…?” he made a swervy sort of ‘squiggle’ in the air with his hands to indicate a curvy form. “I mean, right? But I’ve had toast for breakfast with more personality. I'm telling you I would run myself through with my own sword if I had to pick someone to be a queen based solely on how pretty and genetically worthy our kids would be. I mean...maybe not the sword bit, I wouldn’t want to die over it. What I really mean is, you know, sometimes you want what you want." 

"Our kids would be pretty and genetically worthy." Asgore sighed audibly, clearly paying very little attention to most of the context of his friend’s rambling speech, with his eyes tracking the waitress monster as she collected plates from a recently vacated table.

"Annnnd we've lost him." Colt shook his head.

That, Asgore heard.

“Sorry my friend, though I do suppose you humans and we monsters are not so different. There are plenty who assert that my future coronation would be assured, if only I would choose Doctor Gaster as my mate.” 

Colt began laughing so hard that he snorted into his drink. He emerged, dripping from his beard and in such mirth that he made no move to clean himself up as he continued to chortle. 

Asgore watched as through the force of his laughter, he managed to wave his hands around in a thoroughly competent (he really was a Royal after all), impression of Gaster’s font.

“I’m The Royal Scientist and I would like to present my theory on how the centre of the Universe is the stick up my nonexistent arse!” 

Colt was evidently more than a little past tipsy, and when he was so he tended to get silly, but Asgore found himself laughing at the sheer absurdity of it, if not in some relief that it had temporarily taken his mind off of dithering over the appropriate way to speak to someone who was presently in the process of doing their job. 

As if he was reading his mind, Colt mastered himself and began wiping himself down at long last. “So given that it would be the worst pairing of all time, maybe this is the reasoning you need to - I don’t know, talk to her instead of eyeball-stalking her?”

“Well there is protocol. She’s working right now and…”

"So it's up to me I guess." Colt raised his hand. "Um, Hey. Miss?" He grinned as Asgore startled, not realizing how close in proximity the other monster actually was.

She paused of course; no one would ignore a direct order from a Royal. "Yes Sire?" As it turned out, she had a great voice. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but settled in the interim for deciding it would have been at home on an older woman, a mother maybe. "We need um...a mead." he pointed at himself and a ...I don't know, this guy drinks Golden Flower Tea. And by Golden Flower I mean Gin. And cherries. He likes cherries...and of course, get yourself something too. You're off duty, order of the Prince."

Toriel raised her eyebrows

He turned to Asgore. 

"And you're welcome." 

Colt waved his hand in front of Asgore' seyes.

"Quick. She's probably going to be back in ten minutes and that's just enough time for you to do whatever YOU do in preparation for a date while you listen to me roundly abuse my brother, the freakin' dink that he is. I'm telling you Gorey, you'd make a better King than he'd ever be. He'd be a helluva lot nicer if he wasn't so worried about BEING a King."

Colt was nervous he'd overplayed it, but felt quite relieved when the Monster Woman came back as requested of course and seemed at least from where he was sitting not to have viewed the experience as mandatory simply because they were in the presence of a member of the Royal family and a Monster Royal hopeful. 

Truth be it told, Monsters were far different about the way in which they chose their Royalty; intent was everything. Colt often wished his family was the same way., but it wasn't to be. Asgore was a good choice for a Peacetime King at that with the right mix of Ambition that didn’t often bleed into arrogance or frivolity.

It seemed that Toriel, as she had identified herself, had noticed that too. The duo did not notice when Colt vacated his seat and went to go make his rounds of the rest of the party. He was about to suck it up and meet and greet some of the mages but spotted his old friend from finishing school dithering by the puddings and bounded off to join her instead. Why dampen a heretofore excellent night with annoying stuffiness, after all. 

He imagined he could feel the eyes of the mages on him, and while it would normally be an accurate assessment, this time, the eyes of all were trained on the Monster who many assumed would be the future King of All Monsters...and the boss monster that he was currently laughing with over drinks at the nearby table.

***

It was five years ago to the day that Magenta had put down a book and the world would change in ways she could never have imagined.

Following the accepted proposal of Asgore Dreamurr to Toriel Sanhaim the Monster Kingdom would finally be able to crown a new ruling pair. At school, it was naturally all anyone could talk about and finally recognizing they were going to get nowhere with studies for that day, the teachers had banded together in a fit of exasperation and declared a free study day. Magenta was one of the few preparing to take 'study' seriously but she had only got a few pages into her book before a shout from the courtyard below got her attention.

"Hey! Magenta!" The massive armoured figure and Magenta's best school friend Knightmare was hollering up at the Library tower window, accompanied by a small cluster of younger students 

"Come down and play with us! We're getting a game of tag going and these guys aren’t gonna play if both sides don’t get a big kid too!”

Magenta considered a moment and glanced around at the deserted library. 

Not even the nerdiest of kids were in here. 

In a few moment she was racing downstairs to join the game

The game was technically called ‘Monsters versus Humans’, but no one really took the name seriously (or literally), though depending on what teachers were watching, ‘bad guys vs. good guys’ or ‘team tag’ were acceptable alternatives.

The next thing Magenta knew was a blurred, mishmashed whirlwind of pain and heat and echoing voices.

"Magenta! Magenta! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" The thin squeal of Saturn, the little Pyrope child who had burned her in their excitement to capture her was sobbing, while Knightmare tried to comfort them both at the same time. "Don't worry, don't worry. We know it was an accident Saturn. Look, here comes Mr Charon and Miss Brady." 

The teachers gently parted the crowd of students and through the hurt, the injured human felt the tug of Mr Charon's magic pulling her into a confrontation. Sure enough the pain in her centre lifted with the crab apple he'd brought for first aid and green magic that knitted the raw flesh closed. It wouldn’t even leave a scar.

The world brightened again.and Magenta pushed herself up.

"I'm sorry!" Saturn sniffled again. 

"It's okay, I'm alright now, see?"

Mr Charon however was not looking as though she was alright. "Miss Magenta. I think you had better come with me." He nodded at Knightmare. "You may accompany your friend if you wish." 

Magenta was grateful for Knightmare's presence as they walked followed Mr. Charon back inside the school building. The duo took a seat right outside the head of the school's office and their Skeletal teacher disappeared inside, but with the heavy door fully closed neither could make out what was being said. 

Matagenta 's confidence started to drain by the minute. What had happened? She felt fine but was she? Was that itchy patch on her stomach a fatal wound? Was all her hair about to fall out? 

Magenta's parents turned up just as Mr. Charon exited the office with the Head of School in tow.

"Is Magenta in trouble?" her father asked, He was glowering and sounded skeptical, which did make sense; Magenta was an above average student who got along well with her peers for the most part. She’d never been in the office for so much as a dropped lunch tray.

"There was an incident out in the schoolyard. One of the younger children got a little overzealous in a game of tag. I came prepared with a crab apple to fix the damage, however Magenta produced healing magic on her own. "Has your child ever--?”

The gobsmacked look on Magenta's parents faces had answered that before the question was even out.

"We have also come to realize that Magenta's soul aspect doesn't quite live up to her name any longer."

"What?" Magenta’s father had found his voice.

"Oh it's quite common in mages, no different than a human child born with light hair having it darken over time." He produced the papers he was holding. “See? I believe you had your daughter's soul aspect examined by Dr. Hierophantes and judging by her birth certificate, gave her the name Magenta based on that fact." He pointed to the dates and times on Magenta's signed soul certificate and the birth certificate. “Now however, - Magenta, may we have a confrontation with you?"

Despite the huge amount of information to process, Magenta nodded slowly.

"Okay." 

She really didn’t want to, but she was too curious now not to know and with Knightmare holding tight to her hand, her parents watching in some disbelieving shock, she realized that her soul, something she'd never given too much thought to besides that it was supposed to be purple was now unquestionably a deep, royal blue.

"Well. You're definitely blue now." Mr. Charon ended the encounter swiftly and that was how Magenta became a mage.

That had been five years ago. Things had changed almost immediately. Magenta’s studies were moved to the palace to study with the other human mages.who were stuffy and altogether no fun. She missed Mr. Charon's history lessons which made the boring subject actually rather funny and Miss Brady’s math lessons had never been about dividing HP or raising defense or the amount of force required to shatter an attack while still having enough left over for healing. 

It all sounded so grim and...a bit pointless. None of her monster friends ever used magic against her, except once...by accident. Which was how she became a mage, but hey she wasn’t going to be paranoid over it.

Then there was the fact that suddenly simple mundane tasks were expected to be carried out with magic. If she wanted a crabapple to eat, she had to slice and peel it with magic. If she wanted to get books off the high shelf there was no looking for the step stool or even asking someone to help. No, it had to be blue magic or nothing. Every aspect of her life from putting on her clothes to making a cup of tea was a reason to practice her magic, no exceptions. 

The only comfort was that Knightmare who had never had any second thoughts about her career choice had come to train for the guard and it was this, if anything that cemented Magenta's soul as one of loyalty. 

***

It was hard to believe that this whole party was technically for her. It came at a cost of course; Sir Cobalt had passed away and as the next blue soul mage in line, Magenta was obliged to be sworn in this very night. It was a shame as, maybe because it was a soul thing or maybe it was a mentor thing, or perhaps he had just been that sort of person, Sir Cobalt had been the most pleasant of the seven mages. 

Life at the palace hadn’t matured into the dream come true everyone seemed to imagine it would be either but it had its perks. Knightmare was there, even if they didn't see one another quite as much as they would like. Prince Colt was kind of an omnipresent staple and while his lackadaisical attitude was sometimes tiresome to a hard worker like Magenta, he was a pleasant enough person to be around. He'd introduced her to King Asgore who was also surprisingly a ...well, a dork. He was kind of an impressive dork however, not just for his height but for his seeming ability to know her, despite having his own subjects to worry about. Little things she would have forgotten like what she liked to put in her tea or the names of books she had mentioned in passing. Queen Toriel was not nearly so social but just as just when she imagined her to be haughty, she had opened up at the prospect of discussing a book on magical garden plants. She never saw King Richard or Queen Joane unless she was in the council room with the other 7 mages...and then it seemed to be gossipier than Magenta had the head for. She had always just tuned most of it out and paid attention to the lessons that Sir Cobalt had given her for the day. 

"Magenta!" Her family had arrived, having been admitted through the private entrances of course. Her mother, younger brother, father and his mother, her grandma, being pushed in her wheelchair by Knightmare who had just enough time to give her a wink before returning to her post. 

"How are you darling?" Magenta's mother clearly was itching to say something about her clothes which were the ceremonial mage robes instead of a flouncy dress. Magenta actually was with her mother on that one; mages weren't exactly religious monks but there was a solemnity to the job that didn't find much use for frivolities and a tradition to the events of the evening that meant no ball gown for her. "We are so proud of you." 

Her brother Argos was four and naturally had been tested for magic, but so far seemed a perfectly non-magical little boy. Her father was watching out at the proceedings looking a bit nonplussed. 

"Well, I see those two certainly are taking their sweet time in having kids." was his first remark, his gaze firmly fixed on Asgore and Toriel.

Of all the things Magenta had expected of her father, this wasn't it. It was even enough for her to forget some of her ire at his lack of a proper greeting. For a dreadful moment she felt that she was about to be forced to have a conversation about her own future having children. Mages weren't supposed to anyway and her brother seemed more than capable of carrying on the non magical family line, but she was fairly sure that although unspoken, her feelings for Knightmare would be a difficult conversation.

As it turned out, Magenta was way off base as to what her father was referring to as her grandmother chose to break the tension by horking a glob of spit on to the ground. It lay there like someone's dropped oyster and unnoticed by either of her parents. 

Nervously, she employed a bit of her own magic to nudge it away under a nearby table runner. 

"I see what they're doing." Her father piped up again, still in the same sotto-voce that was obviously meant to be heard and remarked upon.

"Oh please. They'll have a child in their own due time." Grandma said. Magenta was standing behind her chair but the eyeroll was practically evident in her voice. "The previous monster King and Queen didn't have a kid for nine years."

"They weren’t two boss monsters." said Magenta's father.

Grandma's response to that was to scoff and spit again. “And we’re humans kid. Though you were smarter than that.” 

To cover her father’s embarrassed stuttering, the conversation was turned to Magenta's adventures at the palace and she gratefully seized on the distraction.

"Well...once I got to sit in on a class with Price Colt and Princess Verity."

It was hard not to notice how how her father seemed to tune back in when she was talking about the human royals.

However, as the evening progressed, Magenta was hearing echoes of her father's words everywhere. It was as though someone had flipped on a switch in a previously darkened room.

She managed to focus on her readings and not to project much nervousness when the Judge came to read her SOUL and publicly verify her LOVE when she was sworn in. She took the praises of her new six peers with good grace, was delighted by the gifts and thanks of her well-wishers and laughed at Prince Colt's jokes when he came to visit her table. This, of anything seemed to please her father and she hoped it would put the issue to rest. She even was paid a visit by Mr Charon from her school who didn't linger but smiled sincerely and told her he hoped she was enjoying the library.

She was just finishing a piece of cake (the very small, last piece of cake at a party meant for her - but wasn't that always the way in a diplomatic situation) when Knightmare hurried up, fresh off duty.

"May I have this dance?"

"YES!" 

Had Knightmare had been a human she likely would have laughed. However, as a monster and moreover one who was close with Magenta, she could read more of the intent behind that 'yes'.

"Do you think..." Magenta began, unsure how to proceed.

Knightmare pulled her closer, waiting patiently for her to finish,trying to give her the strength to say what she wanted to. "Do you think that King Asgore and Queen Toriel...will ever have a child?"

"Children?" 

"My...My dad seems to think it's important."

Knightmare couldn't of course read minds and predictably interpreted it the wrong way. 

"There's lots of ways for Asgore and Toriel to have children." she told Magenta in what she obviously imagined was a comforting voice and what she apparently assumed was an understanding way. "Adoption for one." 

"I know." Magenta wanted to say more, maybe explain herself, but ultimately couldn't. It was a moment that couldn't be ruined by politics. Instead, she curled up in her friend's arms .

Over time the duo were joined on the dance floor by more and more guests. If their closeness had been noticed it was now no longer discernible through the throng and variety of music to dance to. After a particularly fast song, Magenta had extricated herself from the group to find something to drink and a place to sit. 

The punch she found was every bit as good as one would expect from a Royal party, but the giving her legs a break part of things wasn't to be.

A gentle weight laid itself down on her shoulder. She turned with a gasp, surprised in spite of the clear effort not to startle her and then gasped again as she dropped into an immediate curtsey. 

 

"King Asgore."

"Sir Magenta." Asgore bowed in return; it was only protocol and he was smiling at her. You did most admirably tonight. Your readings were particularly well done. I believe Sir Cobalt would be proud." 

She noticed his smile was warm but it didn't match his eyes which seemed uncharacteristically tired. "Would you care to take a walk with me?"

That was the amazing thing about Asgore. Everyone knew that the demands of a royal from what they wanted for breakfast to what kind of flowers would be on the hall table was never exactly a 'request', but with Asgore he always seemed to try to at least make you feel as if you had some choice in the matter.

He also was the type of person that Magenta would love to have a walk and talk with, normally. Somehow in this instance she rather felt it wasn't going to be a conversation purely meant for idle chit-chat and guest-of-honour obligations

"Loyalty is a fine trait for a human to have." he rumbled as they left the party behind and wandered into the night blooming garden adjacent to the courtyard. They weren't the only individuals enjoying it, but Asgore was clearly steering them in a direction that would ensure they would be undisturbed by other onlookers.

Magenta smiled. "I hope I will do it justice." she paused. "Or, loyalty, otherwise it would be yellow."

Asgore actually laughed at her quip, albeit briefly and rather stilted for him. "And I believe that ti is a trait that has not gone unnoticed by a Royal Guardswoman."

Magenta blushed. She wondered how much of the conversation was about THAT..or, if it was just a monster thing. Somehow Asgore never struck her as the kind of person to concern himself with whether a relationship was the most ‘socially proper’ one to have...which made her wonder why people seemed so overly sure his choice in Toriel was a power play of some kind.

"I hope you understand what an important soul trait it is to have and the gravity of your new position. " the King continued. "I say this not because of any aspersions I have on your age or abilities, but as a reminder." 

Magenta nodded. 

"Child, or should I say, young mage, thank you for listening to me. I will not keep you form your own celebration any longer, nor from the company of your loved ones."

Magenta curseyed deeply. "I...I thank you. And I will remember what you have said to me tonight."

***

Asgore watched the young mage hurry back to the party and wondered if all he'd said just now would be enough. The girl's own family even mirrored the stirrings around the kingdom. Asgore and Toriel, both boss monsters, both being childless could outlast the current human population until they bore one to grow with their magic. It was little wonder that humans with their lineage and rules would think that way. Even his own closest human friend he could remember had assumed he was looking at Toriel through the lens of future offspring.

It was not a power play. He was a monster and he knew his intent. Though he was nothing if not intuitive and it was not impossible that others, particularly humans would see it as such. 

He had seen young Magenta and her Monster friend, Knightmare whom he’d watched rise through the Guard. He had watched them so closely tonight that he'd been able to see their magic and their love for one another as a clear palpable thing. He'd never seen such before between a monster and a human nor even heard of it. He had met the woman, had watched when the current judge had tested her soul during her induction. 

It was that relationship however that had driven him to speak to her tonight.

Magenta had so many things to be loyal to - career, relationship, humans, monsters, mages.

Loyalty was a trait often said to be tested though funnily enough it more often than not seemed a test with a lot of right answers.

He couldn't see into the future but he could tell that one of these test was coming. 

He wondered what Magenta would see as the correct answer when that test was upon them.

He hoped for everyone's sake they'd see it the same way.


End file.
